In association with Resene.
Is it time to admit your outdoor area doesn’t quite live up to your indoor standard? Mull over these ways to elevate your exterior design.
– There once was a time when great outdoor furniture and homeware could be tricky to come across, but not so today. Almost all of the pieces we’ve used to set up this scene are contenders for outside and in, including the armchair, the side table, the rug and a couple of the cushions.
– Crafting your own outdoor coffee table is an inexpensive project you can get done in a day. To DIY, pick up a piece of plywood or readyply from your local hardware store and have them cut it to your desired dimensions. Our tabletop is 90cm long and 60cm wide.
– To make the unobstrusive table legs, we repurposed two 10L Resene paint buckets (with rocks placed inside them to weigh down the table). To do the same, remove the metal handles from your buckets, coat the buckets and their lids in Resene Smooth Surface Sealer, then apply two coats of Resene Enamacryl in Resene Black. When dry, remove the lids, screw them onto the underside of the tabletop, then click the buckets back onto the lids.
– Using Resene Woodsman tinted to Resene Bark, apply one coat of woodstain to the top and edges of your plywood and allow it to dry.
– When dry, use a pencil and ruler to plot out a checkerboard pattern on the tabletop. We divided ours into five 18cm strips lengthways, then added strips marked every 5.5cm widthways.
– Use masking tape from your local Resene Colorshop to cover alternating strips on your measured grid, and a ruler and craft knife to cut away the excess tape. When it’s fully masked, you’ll be able to see the checkerboard pattern in tape. Press the edges of the tape down firmly, then apply a Resene testpot in Resene Black (Resene testpots are available in Resene Lumbersider, making them suitable for outdoor use) to the unmasked areas, including the sides of the tabletop. Allow to dry, then apply a second coat. Once dry, remove the tape.
– For an alternative version of this coffee table, substitute our colours with a pale paint like taupe-grey Resene Quarter Akaroa from the Resene Whites & Neutrals Range, and a lighter stain, such as Resene Woodsman Whitewash.
MAIN IMAGE, BACKDROP Wall and bench seat in Resene Lumbersider in Resene Tino Pai; floor in Resene Lustacryl in Resene Trek, and Resene FX Paint Effects Medium tinted to Resene Foundation; tabletop in Resene Black, and Resene Woodsman tinted to Resene Bark; table legs in Resene Smooth Surface Sealer, and Resene Enamacryl in Resene Black, resene.co.nz/colorshops. DÉCOR ITEMS, FROM LEFT Aalto towel, $60, cittadesign.com. Verdi outdoor cushion, $90; Bina outdoor cushion, $90, bayaliving.com. Burleigh outdoor rug, $1140, furtex.co.nz. Isadia x Humphrey Tait ikebana vase kit, $199, isadia.co.nz. Nook outdoor chair, POA, davidshaw.co.nz. Piccolo cushion cover, $70; Picardie tumbler by Duralex, $24/set of four, cittadesign.com. Lemmy outdoor side table, POA, davidshaw.co.nz. ADDITIONAL ITEMS, FROM TOP Frankie sunglasses, $189, isleofeden.co.nz. Piccadilly carafe, $70, cittadesign.com. Koti hooks, $30 each, cittadesign.com. Abuela hat, $120, marle.co.nz. Piccadilly tumbler, $120/set of six, cittadesign.com. Braided Wedge heels, $350, latribe.co.nz.
ABOVE, FROM LEFT Resene Tino Pai, Resene Trek, Resene Foundation, Resene Black and Resene Woodsman in Bark.
Photography Wendy Fenwick at Flash Studios
Styling Juliette Wanty
